Footwear ventilaton



March 21, 1939. w. A. RIESS 2,151,152

FOOTWEAR VENTILAT ION Filed Aug. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor W 71A-R1'es I 23 :Hinrneus March 21, 1939. w. A. R'lEss 2,151,152

FOOTWEAR VENTILATION Filed Aug. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Wal 1 e. A. F2 855 Patented Mar. 2 1, 1939 uutjrso STATES PATENT OFFICE roorwsan VENTILATON Walter A. Riess, Chicago, n1. Application August 2, 1937, Serial No. 151,035

1 claim. This invention'appertains to new and useful improvements in means for ventilating footwear.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a shoe construction in which ventilation will be automatically promoted as the shoe is being worn. I

Another important object of the invention is to provide a shoe construction wherein the heel is constructed in such a. manner as to pump air into the lower portion of the shoe for ventilating and refreshing the wearers foot.

Another important object of the invention is to provide ventilating means for shoes which will in no manner detract from the practicability of the shoe. These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the shoe as the wearer is about to impose his weight on the heel thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the shoe as the wearer shifts his weight forwardly on the shoe.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shoe with parts broken away to disclose the air line.

Figure 4, is a perspective view showing the Y lower'porti'on of the shoe with the outer sole pulled away to disclose the air conduit.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional -'view through the heel and arch portion of the shoe.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary of the air conduit.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the numeral 5 represents the shoe proper while numeral 6 represents the outer sole and numeral 1 the inner'sole.

The inner sole 1 is provided with a slot 8 which extends from the forward end thereof to a point over the mid-portion of the heel generally referred toby the numeral 9. I

In this slotway 8 are two conduit sections, the

perspective view forward conduit section II) and the rearward conduit section II, these sections each being provided with apair of ducts a-a therein.' These conduit sections are furthermore aligned but term'inate at their inner ends in spaced relation to define the air chamber l2 just beneath the rows of perforations IS in the arch portion of the shoe liner l4:

v The rearv end of the conduit'section I l is curved downwardly as at and communicates with the air chamber I G in the leather section I! of the heel structure 9.

Numeral l8 denotes the cushion or rubber heel section and between the sections is the thin plate l9, preferably of aluminum which has an 5 opening in the central portion thereof smaller than the bore which forms the chamber l6 and which forms the slideway for the resilient plunger 2|.

The plate l9 at the edge portion of its open- 10 ing has a downwardly disposed flange structure 22'. Furthermore, the intermediate portion of the plunger body 2| isreduced to define upper and lower shoulders. The upper shoulder rests upon the edge portion of the plate l9 in the said opening and a coiled compressible spring 23 is disposed between this edge portion of the plate and the lower shoulder of the plunger 21' for normally tending to urge the plunger. downwardly in the position shown in Figure 5.

The upper portion of the plunger 2| is pro-. vided with the funnel-shaped opening 24 merging with the short bore 25 extending about halfway through the plunger 2|.

It can now be seen that as the wearer allows 25 his weight to settle on the heel, as shown in Figure 1, air will be forced from the chamber l6 by the plunger 2! and through the conduits II and Ill to the toe portion of the shoe, as shown in Figure 1. The air will ventilate the forward portion of the shoe, and as the wearer in continuing his step swings his weight to the ball portion of the foot and lifts his heel from the ground, the action of the plunger 2| being forced outwardly by the spring 23 will create a suction in the chamber [6 which will draw the air over the top portion of the foot and around under the arch or instep portion (which portion has now become spaced from'the perforated portion of the insole l4), and through the per- 40 foration iii to the chamber l2 and from there back to the conduit H and to the chamber I 8 Obviously, fresh air will be drawn in around the. ankle portion of the shoe, as some of the hot air will be lost in these cycles of operation.

Furthermore, it will beobserved that the provision of this heel construction will afford a cushioning effect much more appreciable than the usual rubber heel construction.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that nunierous changes in the shape, size, and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

- Having described the invention, what is claimed "diameter of said bores to provide a combined guide and stop, a plunger having a slidable flt with said bores and having an annular reduced portion slidable' in the opening of the p ate and" 2,151,152 4 vprofiding'spaced shoulders arranged above and below the plate for limiting the sliding movement oi the plunger in the bores, a coil spring surrounding the plunger and bearing against the plate and one of the shoulders for normally urging the other shoulder into engagement with the plate and one end. of the plunger outwardly of the bore of one ofthe sections to contact the ground in advance of. the latter-named sec- 1 tion contacting the ground, and means connecting the bore of the other section to'the inside oftheshoe upper.

' v WALTER A. BESS, 

